Build Community and Reach Out Through Your Kids!

Start your plan to build community today! It’s the perfect time to plan a fun outreach to children that spreads the light of Jesus to their whole family and gets them plugged into your church for good!

We want to equip and motivate children to reach out to others. When kids share their Christian faith with others, they’re not only strengthening their own faith, but they’re spreading the Good News about Jesus to those who haven’t heard!

The most effective way to reach unchurched kids is by encouraging your church kids to invite their unchurched friends to your children’s ministry programs. But keep in mind that unchurched kids may not be attracted to the idea of “Christian growth,” so be sure to emphasize the fun of your programs—the games, crafts, snacks, and friendships!

Discovering a Friendship With God

“May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).

Can you remember a time when you met a new friend in your neighborhood or community? People are drawn to friendships with one another. Most people can still remember (or still keep in touch with) friends from grade school. We don’t easily forget friendships. When you introduce Jesus to a child, you’re sharing with them the best friend they’ll ever have. Reaching out to the community and helping people grow in their relationship with Jesus is what outreach is all about! When kids discover that Jesus is their “forever friend,” they’ll experience the eternal love of a father who never leaves them or rejects them.

Building Community

“For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do” (Hebrews 6:10).

Effective outreach starts with building community in your church. Having a sense of community and meaningful relationships with other people is an important way to feel connected with one another and the church.

It’s important to build community in the church through your children’s ministry programs. Getting everyone involved makes each person know that he or she plays an important role in kids’ lives. When you build community in your church you’re building relationships, and relationships with one another help us to grow stronger in our faith.

Parents are the people who will have the greatest spiritual impact in their children’s lives—this means involving families in your children’s ministry programs is important! We encourage you to involve kids’ families in your programs whenever possible.

There are a variety of ways to involve parents and families in your ministry:

Have a “celebration station” at your church.

Have a station where parents and adults can stop by and see what’s on the calendar for the month. Encourage parents and adults to sign up to:

• bring snacks for the kids,
• be a guest speaker during the children’s program, or
• lead an activity or lesson one week.

Have a celebration time each week.

Invite parents and family members to applaud and affirm kids’ actions. It’s also a great way to meet parents each week! When they attend, take some time to greet each of them.

Make announcements.

Make an announcement in your church about the things you’re doing in your children’s ministry area. Invite (and encourage) the adults in your church to join in the fun activities and important events.

Enlist teens.

Your teenagers can also help with a number of roles. They can:

• greet kids as they arrive,
• take photos,
• help with snacks and crafts, or
• help with preschoolers.

Teenagers make great role models for younger kids, and it’s a great self-esteem builder when you encourage them to participate in significant roles!

Want more articles for children’s ministry leaders? Check these out.